Gas lift apparatus



Aug. 6, 1940. R. R. KYNER 2,210,247

' GAS LIFT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 13, 1937 Z p -ih'. l. l /Paf/W Patented Aug. 6,1940

UNITED sTATr-:s PATENT o= 1=ic.-E

Bobert B. Kyner, Dallas, Tes., assignor, by rnesneassignments, to Thomas E. Bryan, Fort Worth,

Tex.

.i Application November 1a, 1931, serial-'Na 114,312 z claims. (ci. ros-:azi

I This invention relates to a well flowing apparalooking fromthe rightas the structure appears tus'and. has for its general object the provision of an eiiicient and inexpensive mounting for a valve for'controlling the admissionof air or gas 5' under pressure into an eduction tubing for conducting uid upwardly.

It is well known that in flowing wells an eduction -tubing is usuallyrun into a well within a Y casing comprising a pipe of larger size'than the l tubing, and the liquid from the .well is permitted to. iio'w therefrom through this tubing as long as the natural producing formation pressure is suiii- A ,cient to cause such ilow. When the. formation pressure is originally or eventually becomes so low that vit wilknotfforce the liquid from the well;`

artificial means are' resorted to forcaus'ing the wellto'flow.'v

^ Among these artificial means for causing .a well to 'iicw is the means known a's air lift or 'gas lift,-

20 wherein air or gas under pressure is forced into the annular space within the casing and admitted to the tubing at a point or points below the static 1 ',level ofthe' liquid in the well to cause the well to iiow. Valvesof various types have been de-f` '25 vlsed for controlling this flow' into the tubing and various fittings'y for mounting these valves have been provided. This invention has to do particularly with these fittings andwith the manner of4 mounting the valves therein. However, these iittings have in the past been complicated. and

expensive to construct, have required the use of gaskets, etc., fol` sealing one part thereof to another,.orhave required-that certain highly difii- .cult iltting and seating operations be performed withinthe fitting itself.

It is an object of'this invention, therefore, to provide a ilttin'g of the type set forth which will be simple in design and require a Iminimum oi' expensive construction operations.

40 Another object is to provide a fitting of the type set forth which not require the use of v gaskets or the like.

Another object is to provide a valveV mounting; which will render it .unnecessary to perform any 5 diilicult itting or seating operations within a t- 4 ting which would interfere with those operations.

Other objects. and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing wherein is set forth, by

way of illustration, one embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a i-itting constructedin accordance with this invention, illustrating a valve in place therein.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the'same structure,

' forming pari: of this invention is secured by means of internal threads Land. 5 at its lower and-,upper ends, respectively. This body 3 has a l0 liquid flow channel 4-'| therethrough in. alignment. with the remainder of the tubing and adapted to conduct liquid from 'thewell to the' surface of the ground. It is noted that this channel is -unobstructed when thevalve i'sin place. l5'

' I'he body 3 is formed Vwith an integral lateral extension 9. having a bore 9 therethrough threadedat its opposite ends to receive upper and lower closure-plugs I9 and I I which completely close the ends 'of this bore.; Passageways I2 'and I3 n l provide communication between the bore 9 and the liquid iiow channel l adjacent the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the bore 9, and a'lateral passageway. or opening Il provides communicatlon ,between thev exterior of the fitting and the bore. l

The tting' justdescrib'ed vmay be made of cast 1 metal with the channelhl and the openings I2 and I9 preferably cored, but the lateral -extension I isl cast solid except forithe openings I3 30 'and I3, andthe borez9 .formedl by drilling out to provides smooth internal surface.'- The opening Il is also preferably drilled.

' Pressed intothat portion of the bore 9 between `the openings I2 and I3 .is a valve .housingcand 35 valve -structure. consisting` of av tubular valve housing I5. a threaded bushing I6,l and aspacer ring I1, all of which are'of the same'outer diameter as the inner diameter of the bore 9'and adaptedV to be forcedthereinto with. a press fit. o the' v alve seats I8 and I9, the valve elements 20 and 2|, thevalve. stem 22, the spring 23, and the vadjusting nuts 2l on the valve stem. The valve housing Ii-is internally-threaded at its lower end to `receive the bushing I6 and the ring I1v is 5 1 interposed therebetween'to facilitate the adjustv ment. o'f the bushing. The housing I5 is also provided with a lateral opening 25 `adapted whenthe housing 'is pressed intofplacein the bore 9 to vregister with the opening Il through the tting. 50 l The relative' largeupper valve seat member I9 and the lower one 'I9 are 'press tted into the 1 housing I5 inposition to properly lseat the relatively large upper-valve element Ill-andtherelatively small lower element 2i,- respectively. The

' and closes the valve,

'I'he air already admitted-continues to expand spring 23 constantly urges the elements 23 and -2I away from their seats and its tension is adjusted its proper tension. 'I'he entire assemblage is then inserted as aunit into one end ot the bore and pressed into position, after which -the ends of the bore are completely closed by the plugs I0 and Il.

- `While the 4valve illustrated forms as -such no part of this invention, and itis to be understood that any valve may be usedwhich is capable -of cooperation in substantially the same manner with the itting set forth, the operation of `the i valve illustrated will be set forth as follows:

The valve elements 20 and 2| are normally held away from their seats I8 and I9 by the spring 23. As the air or gas under pressure enters through the openings Il and 2,5, past the valveelements 20 and 2| into the tubing, it forms an air piston beneath the fluid standing in the well and forces itu'pwardly. -As thisliquid moves up and out of the -well the pressure within the tubing at the valve decreases and the ow of air'A or gas -into the tubing increases. 'I'his iiow has a greater effect` on the large upper element 2li thanon the small lowervelement 2i, and when said flow becomes great enough the resultant force exerted upon the valve stein overcomes'thev spring 23 and forc the liquid out of the well, after which the liquid again begins to rise in the tubing.

When this liquid vrises high enough so that it causes` a pressure upon the-valve elements 2l and 2l suillcient to overcome the action of the air Vpressure vin the casing thereon, the spring 23 will again move the elements from their seats and open the-valve. l

It will be seen from the foregoing that a means has been provided for carrying out all of the objects and advantages sought by this invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination,` a body having a liquid ilow channel therethrough, a laterally positioned bore in communication' with said channel and opening at one end to the exterior of said body, and a lateral opening from said bore to the exterior of said body, a valve housing and valve therewithin in'sertlbleyasa unit through said one end and ilttedsnugly'within said bore, said housing having a passageway registering with said lateral opening whereby. said valve can control ilow` therethrough, and removable means for closing said end of said' bore.

-2. In combination, a body having a liquid flow channel therethrough, a laterally positioned bore in communication with said channel and opening at one end-to the exterior of said body, and a lateral opening from said boreV to the exterior of said body, a valve housing insertible through said one end -and ttedsnugly Within said bore and having a .passageway regis-tering withsaid lateral opening a valve `within said valve housing for controlling flow inwardly through said lateral opening, and removable means for closingsaid end of said bore.

ROBERT R. KYNER. 

